How did Mary journey to Bethlehem while pregnant?
How did Mary journey to Bethlehem while pregnant?
Question: It appears, based on the Nativity narratives in the Bible, that Joseph and Mary were required to travel to Bethlehem just prior to Jesus’s birth. This trip would cover a distance of approximately 70 miles. How could Mary undertake this journey while nine months pregnant? I often see illustrations of her riding on a donkey. Is that how it happened? It all feels quite harsh.
— Martin Collins, via email
We can merely conjecture about this as the Scriptures provide no details. Although tradition portrays Mary riding a donkey, this is merely an artistic representation. There are questions regarding whether St. Joseph had the means to transport a prized livestock on such an extensive journey. Additionally, there is curiosity about whether a woman in late pregnancy would find comfort sitting on such an animal. Another option is that Joseph might have had some kind of cart in which the Blessed Mother could be seated.
However, we should not entirely dismiss the chance that she merely walked the 70 miles. The inhabitants of the ancient Holy Land were resilient individuals. The terrain of Galilee and Judea is rugged, and the weather can be unforgiving. Lush, green forests rapidly transition into harsh deserts just east of the Jordan River and within the rift valley. Prolonged walks were commonplace for individuals during Jesus’ era. Additionally, women often experienced pregnancies more frequently during those times when families were large. What appears remarkable to us may have seemed quite ordinary to them. Representations of Mary as fragile and tiny are largely inventions of Western culture and artistry. Regardless of her physical stature, Mary, like every woman of her era, would have exhibited significant physical strength and endurance simply based on their lifestyle: walking extensively and engaging in considerable physical tasks, such as fetching water from wells, kneading bread, spinning fibers, weaving, and caring for the home and livestock, among other duties.
Regarding this apparently harsh reality, we might recognize that they didn’t always view it in this light. Nonetheless, there are numerous aspects of the passion of Jesus present in the Nativity narrative: no space in the inn, birthed in a stable, the demise of the Holy Innocents, and the escape into Egypt.
Fulton Sheen
Question: The beatification journey of Bishop Fulton Sheen has been on hold now for over a year with no updates emerging from the Church leadership. Can you provide any clarity on this? What seems to be the delay? The congregation is left with nothing but silence.
— Richard Wehner, St. Louis
Answer: It is essentially suspended for the time being. In December 2019, the Diocese of Rochester, New York, (where Bishop Sheen had held the position of bishop for a number of years) voiced apprehension regarding the progression of the beatification process for Archbishop Sheen without an additional examination of his involvement in the assignments of priests. The diocese also pointed out that there had been no accusations against Archbishop Sheen regarding the concealment of clergy misconduct or involvement in any personal misconduct. Nonetheless, in light of the recent controversies involving bishops, it was deemed prudent to delay the process until additional inquiries are finalized and the opportunity for any claims to emerge has elapsed. Vatican authorities agreed with this postponement. Although detractors argued that this was linked to internal Church dynamics, substantiating this claim is challenging. It is prudent to acknowledge that the scheduled beatification was to take place during an extremely delicate moment within the Church, where the beatification of a contemporary bishop could exacerbate tensions both inside and outside the Church. Concurrently, numerous dioceses were changing the names of facilities honoring former bishops.
Things could have advanced further by this point, but at the start of 2020, a pandemic erupted that quickly reached Europe and subsequently the globe. This has clearly consumed the Church’s attention and hindered many from completing the routine and daily responsibilities of Church governance. On top of this, the recent COVID-related passing of Msgr. Richard Soseman, the vice postulator for Sheen’s cause, may lead to additional setbacks. May Msgr. Soseman, who was a peer of mine, rest in peace.
Rest assured that many individuals in Peoria, Illinois, and various regions across the nation are participating in prayer by presenting Rosaries, novenas, and Masses for the beatification of Archbishop Sheen. Progress may begin to happen when COVID subsides, and there is no evidence suggesting that inquiries into Archbishop Sheen’s management in Rochester have revealed any negligence or concealment regarding sexual abuse by clergy. We can certainly hope that the esteemed archbishop will soon achieve beatification.
Msgr. Charles Pope is the pastor of Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian in Washington, D.C., and writes for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. at blog.adw.org. Send questions to msgrpope@osv.com.
